A flat-panel CRT display basically consists of an electron-emitting device and a light-emitting device that operate at low internal pressure. The electron-emitting device, commonly referred to as a cathode, contains electron-emissive elements that emit electrons over a wide area. The emitted electrons are directed towards light-emissive elements distributed over a corresponding area in the light-emitting device. Upon being struck by the electrons, the light-emissive elements emit light that produces an image on the viewing surface of the display.
When the electron-emitting device operates according to field-emission principles, electrically resistive material is commonly placed in series with the electron-emissive elements to control the magnitude of current flow through the electron-emissive elements. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional field-emission device, as described in U.S. Pat. 5,564,959, that so utilizes resistive material. In the field emitter of FIG. 1, electrically resistive layer 10 overlies emitter electrodes 12 provided on baseplate 14. Gate layer 16 is situated on dielectric layer 18. Conical electron-emissive elements 20 are situated on emitter resistive layer 10 in openings 22 through dielectric layer 18 and are exposed through corresponding openings 24 in gate layer 16.
One of the materials employed for resistive layer 10 is a ceramic-metal composite, commonly referred to as cermet, in which metal particles are embedded in ceramic. Cermet is an attractive resistive material. Electron-emissive cones 20, especially when they are formed with molybdenum, adhere well to the cermet. Also, the cermet serves as an etch stop in forming dielectric openings 22 that house cones 20.
Cermet normally has highly non-linear current-voltage ("I-V") characteristics. This can negatively impact the ability to fabricate a flat-panel display so as to have high performance. Accordingly, it is desirable to have an emitter resistor that achieves the advantages of cermet but overcomes the disadvantages associated with cermet's highly non-linear I-V characteristics.